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No job estimates on arms export plan

(Associated Press Australia, Sydney, 28 February 2018) The Defence Department can't say exactly how many Australian jobs will be created out of the Turnbull government's plan to make the country a top 10 global arms exporters in the next decade. The issue was canvassed during a robust exchange between Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson and Defence Minister Marise Payne at a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday. The centrepiece of the government's ambitious plan is a $3.8 billion defence export facility within the export credit agency to help companies get finance to underpin sales of equipment overseas. "How is this good bang for our buck?" Senator Whish-Wilson asked, adding he wanted evidence it was the most cost-effective way for the government to create jobs. Department official Marc Ablong said no calculations had been carried out. "It's up to other agencies to determine whether there are more cost-effective ways for the government to spend the government's resources," Mr Ablong said.